SPIDER & OTHERS

Spiders (Araneae) are the most numerous order of the class Arachnida, distantly related to other arthropod groups, such as insects, with which they should not be confused. They have venom glands in their chelicerae, which they use to paralyze their prey. They produce silk, with which they weave spiderwebs, which they use to build hunting nets, line shelters, and even disperse on the wind.

The group is abundantly represented on all continents except Antarctica. All are predators, generally solitary, of small animals. The order Araneae is seventh in total species diversity compared to other organisms. To date, more than 46,500 species of spiders have been described, and 110 families have been recognized by taxonomists; however, discrepancies remain within the scientific community, as demonstrated by the approximately twenty classifications that have been proposed since 1900.